The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-06-14
PREACHER MNASON MOBBED.
An Infatuated Crowd ChaSeS Him
Home with Stones and
Curses.

Park Ridge, n. j., June Mot salts
fed with having caused the death of Mrs.
Storms, which they term happy release
the Switzer party have now turned all
their efforts to destroying the peace of an.
other family who have suffered severely
from the fanatieal preaching of Mnason.
Their daughter, like Mrs. Storms, has been
carried away SO far that they have found
| it necessary to prevent her meeting Mnason
any more. At a meeting held to night
Mnason, after saying, Thou hast taken
away one of the sheep; we thank thee for
it, for she was too good for that family
referring to the case of Mrs. Storms, turned
his attention to the case of Miss Warner
and said: "And now, o God, We ask Thee
to help us to deliver that other member OF
Thy band, that dear lamb She is too
precious to be controlled by the devils
Te have always done Thy personal work
and We mean TO do il now. If IL Is neces-
sary to release her for me TO 60 to
her, ana willing, God, TO do that"
Referring TO the fact that Mrs. Storms lost
her reason before her death, MnasoI Ie-
marked: allow many are going crazy be-
cause they are bound BY the devil and can't
come to Thee" Then he told those pres
ent of number ia East Newark, Bloom
field, \. j., and other places who had be-
come crazy under his preaching. The mob
outside, informed by those who could hear
of Mnason's talk, determined TO wreak
their vengeance on him. The meeting was
held at Mr.. Nillner's, some distance from
the home of Mrs. Berry, where the OBJ
noxious preacher resides while here. As
soon as Mnason started afoot for Mrs.
Berry's, after the close OF the meeting, the
crowd followed. Mnason walked ahead,
with some of his followers Just behind him.
Persons in the crowd following asked
Mnason why he did not leave tine people in
the place alone, and, receiving no answer,
began to pelt him with stones. As he
passed well situated near the road two
buckets of water were showered upon him.
His only answer to these cold fayors was
"Praise the Lord. Amen, hallelujah." The
crowd closed in upon the church people,
and getting between Mnason and the others
knocked the former down in the ditch OF
the road. The only answer to this upon
the part of the prosecuted was their be-
ginning to sing the hymn "All Hail the
Power of Jesus Name" Soon the house
of Mrs. Berry was reached and the church
people hurried to the porch of the house.
Then when the crowd got about the place,
both sides kept up cross fire of threats
and accusations until the crowd started to
60 to the tent, saying they would tear it
down. At this Switzer ran to a position
in front of the tent, which is on a lot be
tween the house of Mrs. Berry and his
own. and. drawing revolver, said, calling
several of the crowd by name, aft you
dare to come on this property for any mis-
chef will lay you low, SO that you will
have to be carried sway. You have gone
a step too far" To add to the confusion
some one entered the Congregational
Chapel Immediately opposite Switzer's and
rang the bell in the tower. Hearing the
chapel bell ring late at night, many in the
neighborhood who had retired hurried to the
locality and the crowd was increasing at
midnight The crisis for tonight is passed,
however. What will happen at the meet
ing to be held tomorrow night it is impos-
sible to say. The crowd notified Mnason
that if he appeared he would be dealt with
severely, and Mnason upon his part de-
clared he was ready to die for Gods sake.
He said: "They called for Christ and
now they are calling for me-"
aItef the mtetlug lOT Tue Iuueral OF
Mrs. Storms, which is to take place to-
morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, at which
Rev. Dickinson, of Hillsdale Methodist
church, is to preach the sermon, the popu-
lace will not be patient to Listen to the de-
stroyer of peace in their families. They
feel that the time has come for those in
authority to arrest Mnason as lunatic or
Switzer as the maintainer of q nuisance
which is a menace to the public peace.
They say that, judging by the past, Park
Ridge will have no peace during Mnason's
presence there.
Switzer was born and raised about twenty
miles from Easton, Pa, by honest, upright
people. His brother John has earned a
good name in the Lutheran denomination,
and at present is acting as general agent
for the Lutheran Observer at Philadelphia,
his home being at Allendale, n. j., about
six miles from here, where he owns a fine
property. Samuel Switzer, after trying
several means of livelihood, entered the
Methodist ministry, from which he has
passed successfully through the Lutheran
and Congregational denominations and
now calls himself a Baptist. He has
caused trouble in almost every church
with winch he has been connected, winning
the title Of Fighting SWitzer."